Donald Trump Says He Talked to Lindsey Graham Hours Before His Death at 71

12 Jul 2026, 14:54 · The Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump is giving insight into what he says where Senator Lindsey Graham's final hours before his shocking death at age 71.

"So, what makes it even stranger is I got a call last night something in the early evening - maybe in the sevens - and he called and said, ‘We're all set for the Save America Act,' the president, 80, said while calling into the Sunday, July 12, episode of NBC's Meet the Press. (Trump was referring to his controversial voting bill that many experts have argued will actually make it more difficult for U.S. citizens to vote.)

"He was pushing the Save America Act like crazy," the president continued. "He got back, said he just landed from Ukraine, I said, ‘That's a long trip.' He sounded a little tired, but perfect, but a little bit tired - he had the right to be, he was a worker. He was really a worker. But he sounded great, actually. But he actually said he was tired."

Trump added, "But he wanted to pass the Save America Act, and I said, "Well, we're gonna get it done, Lindsey. We're gonna get it done. See you soon.' We might even meet today, and then that was it. That was very, around the time… it couldn't have been much longer. It could have been his last call, I don't know exactly."

The South Carolina senator's office confirmed Sunday morning that Graham had died the previous evening at the age of 71 after battling a "brief and sudden illness."

"On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness," a spokesperson for the late politician said in a written statement shared via X. "Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."

According to a report from NBC News, emergency services personnel responded to a call for "cardiac arrest" at the late senator's Washington, D.C. home on Saturday evening. Photos obtained by the outlet indicated that medics carried a person out of the residence on a stretched and into an ambulance.

Senator Graham's official cause of death has not been released at the time of publication.

Graham was scheduled to appear on Meet the Press on Sunday to discuss his recent visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Senator Lindsey Graham was scheduled to appear on @MeetThePress this morning," moderator Kristen Welker wrote via X early on Sunday. "It would have been his 64th appearance on this broadcast. We are sending our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues."

While speaking to Welker Sunday morning, President Trump detailed his initial reaction to the news that Graham had died.

"I got a message about one in the morning from one of the people in ihs office that he had passed away," Trump recalled. "I said … I just can't believe it. He was like a member of the family to me. It is very tough actually."

When asked to discuss Graham's legacy following his shocking death, Trump recalled how much the late politician loved the job.

"There was nobody like him," he said. "He loved beinga politician and he was going to win his election. He was going to win it big. I endorsed him very early and he was gonna win it big He just got it made, and he just loved being a politician. I said, ‘The reason I'm endorsing you is because I gotta make sure you win because if you didn't win I don't think you can handle life.' You know, there are guys who can lose and go into something else. I couldn't imagine him doing something else."

The president continued, ‘I said, ‘If you weren't a U.S. senator I don't think you could live for very long.' And look what happened."

This story was originally published July 12, 2026 at 7:54 AM.